Killegray

Killegray

Scottish Gaelic name	Ceileagraigh
Old Norse name	kjallard-øy
Meaning of name	Old Norse: graveyard island
Killegray from the southeast with the heights of Ceapabhal on Harris beyond
Location
Killegray Killegray shown within the Outer Hebrides
OS grid reference	NF976836
Coordinates	57°44′N7°05′W / 57.74°N 7.08°W / 57.74; -7.08
Physical geography
Island group	Outer Hebrides
Area	176 ha (11⁄16 sq mi)
Area rank	117  [1]
Highest elevation	45 m (148 ft)
Administration
Council area	Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Demographics
Population	1
References	[2] [3] [4]

Killegray is an island in the Sound of Harris in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.

Geography

Killegray from Ensay

Situated in the Sound of Harris, a channel of water between North Uist and the Isle of Harris, Killegray is approximately 1+1⁄2 miles (2.5 kilometres) long.

The south end of the island is nearly all deep uncultivated moss. There is better cultivated land at the north. ^[5]

History

Rubha Claidhe in the north is the site of a ruined chapel, Teampull na h-Annait, which may be the origin of the island's name. ^[4]

The island was occupied by a family of around three to eight people from 1841 to 1931. Two people were living on the island when the 1971 census was taken. ^[4] The 19th-century Killegray House, the only house on the island, was renovated as holiday accommodation in 1991. ^[5] No inhabitants were recorded as living there in 2011, ^[6] but in the census of 2022 a population of one was returned. ^[2]

Wildlife

The shallow waters and reefs are a rich breeding ground for velvet crabs and lobsters. ^[4]

Possible development

Jacobs Babtie has investigated building a combination of bridges and causeways across the Sound of Harris. ^[7] Wind turbines and tidal generators could be incorporated in the scheme from Berneray via Killegray and Ensay to Harris. ^[8] The estimated cost of £75 million could rise to £145 million with the renewable energy devices.

Notes and references

1. Area and population ranks: there are c. 300 islands over 20 ha in extent. 93 permanently inhabited islands were listed in the 2011 census and 101 such islands in 2022.
2. "Scottish Islands Data Dashboard". RESAS/Scottish Government. 2025. p. 6. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
3. Ordnance Survey. OS Maps Online (Map). 1:25,000. Leisure.
4. Haswell-Smith, Hamish (2004). The Scottish Islands. Edinburgh: Canongate. pp. 264–66. ISBN   978-1-84195-454-7.
5. "Historical perspective for Killegray". Gazetteer for Scotland. Retrieved 10 December 2007.
6. National Records of Scotland (15 August 2013). "Appendix 2: Population and households on Scotland's Inhabited Islands" (PDF). Statistical Bulletin: 2011 Census: First Results on Population and Household Estimates for Scotland Release 1C (Part Two) (PDF) (Report). SG/2013/126. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
7. John Ross (19 August 2006). "Eco-power plan to boost islands link". The Scotsman. Archived from the original on 22 August 2006. Retrieved 10 December 2007.
8. "Feasibility of Renewable Energy to fund Western Isles link" (pdf). Metoc. 30 November 2006. Retrieved 10 December 2007.^{[ dead link ]}

57°44.4′N7°4.9′W / 57.7400°N 7.0817°W / 57.7400; -7.0817